Player grades: Tyrese Maxey, Sixers beat Magic to advance to playoffs

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers began their postseason run on Wednesday night as they played host to the Orlando Magic in the 7 vs. 8 matchup in the play-in tournament. The winner advanced to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed while the loser prepared for a win-or-go-home situation in a second play-in game.

The Sixers entered this one with Joel Embiid sidelined, but they were able to lean on Tyrese Maxey and their veterans to step up and get the job done in this situation. Philadelphia walked away with a 109-97 win over the Magic to advance to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and set up a date with the Boston Celtics in Round 1 starting on Sunday.

Maxey had 31 points and six assists for Philadelphia, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points, and Paul George added 16, five rebounds, and five assists. VJ Edgecombe had 19 points and 11 rebounds while Andre Drummond chipped in with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Tyrese Maxey: A

The star guard put his head down and attacked this Magic defense early and often. There were some struggles in the early going as he had to battle through Orlando’s physicality, but once he found a rhythm, he was able to get the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. His 3-point shooting in this one was a big help as he was able to get himself going and cause problems for the Magic all night. He was living in the paint, spreading out to shooters, and was tough on the defensive end as well. He made some big plays in the fourth to help Philadelphia seal it. This was a big Maxey game on a night they needed it.

VJ Edgecombe: A-minus

Playing in his first postseason game, Edgecombe made an impact in a number of ways. He was able to get to the basket and finish, was tough and physical on the defensive end, and was helpful on the glass. There were some miscues as Orlando’s guards bothered him at times, but Edgecombe played tough as he was able to make an impact. He and Magic guard Jalen Suggs got into it in the third after Edgecombe finished on the break, but the rookie did not back down and continued to attack. For his postseason game in this environment, he was terrific.

Paul George: B-plus

After a slow start, George found a spark in the second quarter. He was able to get into the mid-range and give the Sixers a bucket there as well as knock down a tough 3-pointer over a good Magic contest. He was judicious with his shot and did a great job of finding his teammates. It wasn’t a big night in terms of his scoring, but the 9-time All-Star contributed in a number of ways between his playmaking, defensive ability, and leadership out on the floor.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: A-minus

The Sixers needed a big Oubre night and he gave those big moments. He knocked down three big 3s in the early going to allow Philadelphia to get off to a hot start and he was battling on the defensive end against Banchero and the variety of other Magic players he had to defend. He had success getting into the paint and finishing as well as he used his herky-jerky style to finish over Orlando’s length.

Adem Bona: C

This was a tough matchup for Bona. The Magic employ a frontline that features some physical players who have a lot of size and length and it seemed to bother him. To his credit, he had three fantastic blocks in the third quarter, including one when Magic big man Wendell Carter Jr. tried to take him off the dribble. The fouling in the fourth was a problem, however.

Andre Drummond: A

The Sixers turned to Drummond early and he made an immediate impact. He was able to attack the glass, finish with his offensive rebounding, made plays with his passing, and protected the basket. He was terrific in every sense of the word in his initial stint. His size was a real strength for Philadelphia in this one as he gave the Sixers a little bit of everything off the bench, including some 3-point shooting.

Dominick Barlow: B-minus

Playing in his first postseason game as well, Barlow had an early dunk when he cut baseline and converted on an opportunity. He moved his feet well defensively as he was able to make an impact on that end. He bothered the Magic every time they tried to get into the paint and he was able to help on the glass. Barlow did get into foul trouble, but he was able to give the Sixers some production.

Quentin Grimes: C-plus

Grimes took some wild shots in this one, but when he put his head down and attacked the basket, he was able to give the Sixers a big lift. He had some terrific finishes inside and battled through contact in an effort to give Philadelphia some offense.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Tyrese Maxey, Sixers beat Magic to advance to playoffs